Staff shortages have led to 'frequent closures' of a Greater Manchester hospital's birthing centre, midwifery-led unit and postnatal wards, inspectors have found.
The issues have led to limited options for people giving birth and delays in patients being transferred to the labour ward, health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said. Following a November inspection, the CQC has downgraded the rating of maternity services at Royal Bolton Hospital from 'good' to requires 'improvement' overall.
The service was found to 'not always manage safety incidents well', with a 'backlog of incidents awaiting review'. Bosses at the hospital trust say improvements are already well underway following the inspection.
